Many years later, when Minglan looked back on those few days, they still felt somewhat hazy in her memory.
It was the fifth day after the King of Wang had officially adopted his heir. Rulan had just received a pot of Yunyang bamboo — lush, dense, and thriving — and invited Molan and Minglan over to admire it. Molan, too lazy to listen to Rulan show off, began to make half-teasing remarks with a slight edge about the matter of the He family.
“Old Madam He and Grandmother have been friends for so many years. It is rare for her to send an invitation, yet our sister-in-law and the elder sisters were all unable to go — so naturally it fell to Grandmother and me,” Minglan deflected without leaving a crack.
Rulan covered her mouth with a sly smile and deliberately drew out her words: “Oh~~ the Fourth Sister really had no way to go at that time, did she?”
Molan’s gaze turned resentful, and she shot Rulan a fierce glare.
According to the Old Madam’s intentions, after the two families had looked over the young pair and both sides expressed satisfaction, the matter was more than half settled. However, with Minglan’s two elder sisters still unengaged, it would not look well for her to be formally betrothed before them — such talk could damage a young woman’s reputation. So only Sheng Hong and Wang Shi had been informed; everyone else was kept entirely in the dark.
Sheng Hong, dutiful as ever, investigated the He family’s background. He weighed things back and forth, then nodded repeatedly. “Though their household is a modest one, they are a solid and respectable family. The young man is sensible and capable. With the Old Madam looking out for Minglan, she will have a fortunate life.”
Wang Shi pressed her lips together. “The young man’s father died early, and his grandfather retired from office long ago. He has only a great-uncle serving as a local administrator somewhere. But paired with Minglan, that is more than adequate.”
In truth, she was being somewhat sour about it. He Hong’s circumstances looked plain on the surface, but every aspect was proportioned quite well: financial resources, a government background, practically no in-laws to wait upon — once married, a woman could run her own household. It didn’t look impressive, but it was genuinely advantageous.
What Wang Shi did not know was that in Minglan’s previous world, this sort of man was called a “practical model husband” — and was perpetually in short supply.
After the couple had finished discussing it, Sheng Hong went to the Ministry of Works, and Changbai had left even earlier for the Hanlin Academy.
That day was unusually overcast. Since early morning the sky had been a flat, heavy gray with no trace of the sun, and by midday it remained the same. Though it was already early winter, a late summer heat had surged back and was smothering everything — people were drenched in stifling sweat without doing a thing, unable to draw a full breath.
It was barely past the first quarter of the shen hour in the afternoon when the evening drums began to sound throughout the city — a deep, hollow boom that seemed to press down on the heart with each stroke. Immediately following came a citywide lockdown. Every household shut its doors and did not go out. The streets were empty of even a single pedestrian; soldiers patrolled everywhere, and anyone who looked suspicious was stabbed dead on the spot. Within a few hours, quite a number of innocent people had died on the streets.
The great households bolted their gates. They waited through the entire evening, but Sheng Hong and Changbai did not come home. Wang Shi immediately fell into a panic. Hai Shi was somewhat steadier, though she sat with her pregnant belly and stared blankly into nothing. The whole family was in a state of dread and despair. Two full days passed — neither father nor son returned, alive or dead. All the women of the household gathered in Shouan Hall. No one knew what had happened. The Old Madam’s face was iron-gray, and she sharply ordered them not to panic, while quietly sending the household men out to gather information.
But outside, the situation only grew more severe. Even ordinary people going out to buy vegetables or fetch firewood were not permitted to pass. Those who argued back even a little were beheaded on the street. Nothing could be found out — only that the Imperial Guards had taken control of the capital, along with some forces drawn from the Five-District Constabulary. The Old Madam then secretly sent someone to inquire of Kang Yun’er, only to learn that Changwu had also not come home for several days. Yun’er flatly refused to take shelter at her parents’ home, and instead stayed in her own house weeping day and night.
The women all sat together, helpless and terrified. The room was very quiet. All that could be heard was Molan’s soft crying. Rulan was curled against Wang Shi. Hai Shi stared with wide, vacant eyes at some indeterminate point in the distance. Changfeng paced anxiously back and forth at the doorway. Changdong’s eyes were wide open, and he gripped Minglan’s sleeve tightly, not daring to speak. Minglan only felt a chill spreading through her body, seeping out from her very bones — in that stifling heat, she was shaking with cold.
For the first time, she truly understood what the father and elder brothers of a household meant to it. If Sheng Hong or Changbai were to die? Minglan did not dare imagine it.
Sheng Hong might not have been a good son or a good husband, but as a father, he had been adequate. Whenever he had a moment to spare, he never forgot to check his children’s schoolwork, to guide his sons in their studies and examinations, to instruct his daughters in propriety and decorum — and he did not simply rail at them blindly. For the sake of his children’s futures, he carefully sought out suitable matches, searched everywhere for reputable tutors. Even for Changdong, it was Sheng Hong who had pulled strings and found a fine academy in the capital.
Minglan could not stop herself from wanting to cry. She did not want to lose this father.
On the fourth day, there was still no news of the men’s return. Vague whispers began to spread that a prince had attempted a rebellion, had failed, and been granted death. The Fourth Prince was now acting on imperial order to hunt down all those who had been party to the treason. Several of the scripture-lecturing tutors from the prince’s manor had already been executed. Eight men from the Eastern Palace Office, including those below the rank of Deputy Eastern Palace Director, had been killed. The Senior Grand Scholar Shen Zhen of the Splendid Hall, Grand Cabinet Counselor Yu Yan, and the Minister of Personnel had all been convicted of conspiracy and granted death by white silk. Many more officials who were implicated had been thrown into the Imperial Prison, with no word of whether they lived or died.
This news landed like snow piling on frost. At once the entire capital was gripped by tension and alarm, and the women of the Sheng household were even more panic-stricken.
“What kind of place is the Imperial Prison?” Rulan said, distraught. “Is that where Father and Elder Brother have been taken?”
Molan wept with streaming tears. “It is a prison decreed by the Emperor himself. They say that those who go in may not die, but they will certainly lose a layer of skin! Could it be that Father and Elder Brother also…” Minglan’s face went cold. She said loudly, “Fourth Sister, do not say such things. Father and the elder brothers are careful and never join factions. They have had no dealings with the prince’s manor whatsoever. How could they possibly be dragged into this?”
“That may not necessarily be true!” Lin Yiniang, who had been standing toward the back, could not help herself. “We have had dealings with Pingning Junzhu, and the Junzhu is the in-law relation of the Sixth Prince. The Sixth Prince and the other prince are of the same faction…”
“Silence!” Before Lin Yiniang could finish speaking, the Old Madam suddenly erupted with fury. She hurled a bowl of scalding tea — bowl and liquid together — to the ground. Hot water splashed in all directions. The Old Madam rose straight to her feet and stood before everyone. Minglan had never seen her look so imposing and formidable.
“Nothing has been confirmed yet. I forbid anyone to speak another word of doom and gloom! Anyone who dares to say half a word more will be slapped across the mouth immediately!” The Old Madam swept a fierce, killing look across the people before her. Wang Shi wept quietly with eyes full of tears. Lin Yiniang bowed her head in silence and said no more.
The Old Madam’s expression was resolute. She spoke each word clearly: “The wives and mothers of military men — their fathers and brothers go off to war, and they carry on just fine. Would you make yourselves less capable than they are?” The women’s weeping quieted somewhat. The Old Madam said with iron certainty, “Life and death are fated; wealth and rank come from Heaven. The Sheng family has the blessing of our ancestors and the protection of the divine. They will come home safely!”
Perhaps it was the Old Madam’s sharp outburst, or perhaps the peak of tension had simply passed — whatever the cause, everyone gradually grew calmer. Wang Shi dried her eyes and returned to managing the household, stern-faced as she reprimanded the frightened servants and kept watch over the gates.
That same night, an unknown army crept into the capital under the cover of darkness and engaged the garrison forces in fierce street-by-street fighting. Fortunately, the Sheng mansion was not situated in a prime location. All that could be known was that the areas around the imperial palace and the prince’s manor rang with battle cries that shook the sky, firelight flooded the eyes, blood ran in rivulets along the roads, and many common people died beneath stray blades.
The women had no choice but to huddle within the walls of their home, living through each moment in dread. The fighting continued for a full day and two nights. On the morning of the sixth day, the sounds of killing suddenly stopped. A light rain began to fall. The oppressive heat of the past several days was at last driven away. A cool breeze swept into the rooms, letting everyone draw one long, pent-up breath of relief. Then, in the midst of a light drizzle, Sheng Hong and Changbai finally returned to the mansion.
Father and son were both in an utterly wretched state. One was covered in unkempt stubble, his eye sockets sunken deep, as though he had spent a Golden Week holiday in a detention center. The other had hollow cheeks and pale lips, as though he had watched a week of horror films back to back.
Wang Shi rushed toward them at once, laughing and crying at the same time. Lin Yiniang also wanted to throw herself forward, but was cleverly blocked by Liu Kun’s wife. Hai Shi, forgetting all propriety, seized Changbai’s arm and refused to let go. Rulan, overjoyed, grabbed her father’s sleeve with tears streaming down her face. In the chaotic back-and-forth of questions and exclamations, no one could hear anything clearly. It was the Old Madam who finally spoke, telling the father and son to go clean themselves up first.
After such a brush with death, everything felt as though lived in another lifetime. Once they had washed and tidied themselves, Sheng Hong could not hold back his tears either, weeping with his head in the Old Madam’s lap. Changbai held the weeping Wang Shi and Hai Shi and gently comforted them. It was a long while before things quieted. The Old Madam sent away all the maids and matrons and told father and son to give a clear account of what had happened.
Six days earlier, the old Emperor had, as usual, claimed illness and not held court, with each ministry’s affairs submitted to the Cabinet through their respective heads. Everything had seemed fine — until the winds shifted without warning. First, Xu Xin, the Commander of the Imperial Guard, was ambushed and killed outside the Western Floridity Gate. Then the Deputy Commander, Rong Xian, took command of the capital garrison and announced a lockdown of the imperial city. The Fourth Prince entered the palace on imperial order to guard His Majesty.
The moment Sheng Hong heard this, he knew the Fourth Prince had launched a military coup.
Wu Yong, the Deputy Commander of the Five-District Constabulary, placed Commander Dou under house arrest and led troops to seize control of the Cabinet, the Six Ministries, the Censorate, and other key posts, detaining all officials within. Meanwhile, the Imperial Guard surrounded the imperial palace and the prince’s manor. The Fourth Prince, wielding a forged edict, forced the other prince to drink a cup of poisoned wine and die. He then issued an armed remonstrance to the Emperor, demanding that the throne recognize him as heir.
Minglan’s heart gave a sharp jolt. It was the Xuanwu Gate Incident all over again, almost to the letter.
But the Fourth Prince was no Li Shimin, and the old Emperor was no Li Yuan. The Emperor had, in the end, kept a card up his sleeve. Sheng Hong and his son did not know the precise details of how the old Emperor had acted — only that a few days later, the Grand Camp stationed outside the capital launched a counterattack. Several of the other Deputy Commanders of the Five-District Constabulary found an opportunity to escape, rescued Commander Dou, then watched for their moment, cut down Wu Yong, and retook command of their forces. They then coordinated from within and without, opening the city gates for the Grand Camp to enter and jointly launch a counterattack on the imperial palace.
The tide turned at once. The two forces clashed in close combat. The Fourth Prince was defeated and captured. His fellow conspirators were either killed, taken prisoner, or fled. After seven days, the ‘Shen Chen Uprising’ was over.
Sheng Hong could not help but sigh. “Fortunately our Secretariat Minister was sharp-eyed — the moment he saw something was wrong, he quickly led us into a hidden room inside the Ministry of Works. We had food and water stored there, and by keeping hidden for a few days, we came through safely with no deaths or injuries. But other colleagues in different ministries… some of the more unyielding ones were killed by the rebel soldiers even while detained. How many more perished in last night’s chaos, there is no way of knowing.”
Changbai, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke. “The Chief Grand Counselor fled. The Second Grand Counselor was killed. The rebels then tried to coerce Senior Grand Scholar Tang into drafting the imperial decree. He refused, and denounced them to their faces as treasonous rebels and villains. When he finished speaking, he threw himself headfirst against the golden steps and died. His blood splattered across all of us standing there. Then they tried to coerce the Court Lecturer, Scholar Lin. He refused and went smiling to his death. After that came the Court Reader, Scholar Kong. He spat upon the rebel soldiers and bared his neck for the blade.” As he spoke, Changbai’s eyes grew red. Hai Shi stood beside him and wiped her tears silently — those men had all been her grandfather’s former students, and had always treated Changbai with great care and regard.
“…Had Commander Dou arrived even half a day later, I would very likely have been next.” Changbai’s face was ashen; he smiled bitterly. “By then, I had even written my final letter — it was tucked inside my sleeve.”
Wang Shi already knew her son was alive and here before her, yet she was still so shaken that the color drained from her face. She clutched Changbai’s sleeve in a death grip. Changfeng’s expression beside them was grim, his lips moving several times as though trying to imagine how he himself would have faced such a moment — then he hung his head. Lin Yiniang, seated further back, let her eyes flicker with an expression that held some shadow of unfulfilled ambition.
The room was quiet for a long time. Even the sound of dripping water could be heard. Sheng Hong sighed again. “Blood of the same imperial family — how did it come to this?”
No one answered. After a long while, Changbai collected himself and said quietly, “If only His Majesty had established the succession earlier.”
The root of everything lay in the long-vacant succession. The old Emperor’s hesitation had allowed the two princes to maintain their opposition for years, each drawing about him a vast network of supporters — officials attacking each other, military men forming their own factions, the two sides utterly irreconcilable, like fire and water. As time went on, everyone had ridden the tiger too long to dismount. Both sides had reached the point where it was kill or be killed. The moment the old Emperor agreed to let the King of Wang adopt an heir, the fuse had been lit.
By then, even if the Fourth Prince had been willing to stand down, those around him would not — they had too much at stake to retreat.
“At the very least, son-in-law Yuan Shao and Changwu are both safe. Our family, it seems, has truly had the blessing of our ancestors!” The Old Madam let out a long, slow sigh.
Yuan Shao was a trusted associate of old Commander Dou — detained together, rescued together, then joining in the counterattack on the palace. His merits and transgressions canceled each other out, and he would likely emerge unscathed. Changwu’s regiment, the Zhongwei Guard, had been reassigned away from the capital by the forged edict earlier on, which meant he had not been caught up in the fighting at all — and had even rendered some modest service during the counterattack. He would likely earn a small promotion.
It had been a brutal and bloody slaughter — upheaval in the court, heads rolling, families destroyed. Everyone was utterly spent. The one who spoke was exhausted; the ones who listened were exhausted too. The Old Madam told them all to go back and rest. People filed out one by one. Sheng Hong left first — he had to return to his study to draft two memorials. Changfeng and Changdong followed behind him. Then came the girls.
When it was finally Changbai’s turn to leave, he rose, hesitated for a moment, then suddenly turned back to face the Old Madam and Wang Shi at her side. “There is one more matter… the Sixth Prince’s consort and Lady Jiacheng have passed away.”
By this time, Rulan and the others had already gone out the door — but it was deep in the night and utterly silent, and they had all heard that sentence. After exchanging glances with one another, they all stopped in their tracks and crept quietly to the doorway to listen.
Inside the room, both the Old Madam and Hai Shi gave a sharp start. Wang Shi immediately asked, “How did they die?”
Changbai’s voice was strained. “Fuchang Marquis had been colluding with the Fourth Prince. Lady Rong — the young consort — served as an inside contact. Before the coup was launched, they summoned the wives and daughters of certain noble families into the palace as hostages. After the coup began, Rong Xian broke into the inner palace and, in front of everyone, took the Sixth Prince’s consort and Lady Jiacheng away. It was not until yesterday, when Commander Dou’s forces broke through, that the bodies of the Sixth Prince’s consort and her daughter were discovered in one of the palace chambers. They had been…”
Changbai paused, seemingly at a loss for words, but then he thought of how many soldiers had already seen the bodies — this could not be kept secret. He said simply and briefly: “They had been violated and killed.”
The air seemed to stop entirely. In an instant, a chill struck through the hearts of all the girls. Rulan and Molan were so frightened their faces turned deathly white, and they covered their mouths in disbelief. Minglan could not see what was happening inside the room, but the expressions on every face within were surely ones of shock and horror.
After a moment, the Old Madam’s voice came out, dry and halting. “Could it be… on account of the Rong family’s daughter?”
“Precisely.” Changbai’s voice was very soft. “That Rong Xian had been saying all along that he wanted to avenge his sister. Months ago, they had traced those who had seized the Rong family’s daughter back to the Sixth Prince’s consort — it had been her own guards and household men in disguise all along. The original intent was simply to ruin the Rong girl’s reputation and force her out of the capital. But things went wrong somewhere along the way. No one had anticipated that the Junzhu — young as she was — could be so ruthless. And that Rong girl had too fierce a spirit…” Changbai left it vague, but everyone who heard understood perfectly.
“They could have appealed to the Emperor directly!” Wang Shi’s voice was urgent.
“And if they had, what then?” Changbai replied with calm composure.
— Yes. What then? Would the old Emperor have put to death his own daughter-in-law or granddaughter to repay the life of Rong Feiyan? Lady Rong had produced no heir. The old Emperor was still alive, and yet the Sixth Prince’s household could already behave with such brazenness. If the old Emperor were to die, the Rong family would be as meat on a chopping block. Throwing in their lot with the embattled Fourth Prince was a move that achieved two ends at once. Rong Feiyan’s death had been the seed of that hatred.
No one inside the room spoke. Minglan, with one hand holding each of her sisters’ arms, quietly turned and walked away. Halfway down the path, Molan covered her mouth and began to weep softly. They had, after all, shared tea and conversation with those two girls. Only a few months ago, those two young lives had been so vivid and bright. Now they had both died such unjust deaths.
Rulan could not help but sob quietly. “Is this matter… finished now?”
Minglan thought to herself: probably not. There would still be a reckoning — and a new heir to the throne.